Planning the Alternative PL

Professional Development for a Digital Future

The goal of my innovation plan is to implement automation in Banner Systems for financial aid staff, streamlining processes to improve efficiency and reduce manual workloads. Research mentions that automation in higher education can enhance operational efficiency, minimize human error, and allow staff to focus on student-centered services (Okokoyo, 2024). Leveraging existing technology and resources within our organization, this plan aims to overhaul financial aid operations, making sure that staff can dedicate more time to strategic decision-making and student engagement.

For this initiative to be successful, it's important to provide financial aid staff with meaningful and effective professional development. Traditional "sit-and-get" models have been criticized for their inability to engage learners and foster long-term change (Knowles, Holton, & Swanson, 2015). If these PL experiences fail to show the benefits of automation, staff may resist adopting new technologies (Kotter, 2014).

By designing a professional development program that mimics the benefits of automation including adaptability, efficiency, and engagement, staff can experience firsthand how these tools can enhance their roles rather than replace them. It is mentioned that effective professional learning must be continuous, job-embedded, and interactive to drive sustainable change (Darling-Hammond et al., 2017). I have created an outline to guide the development of a professional learning curriculum that aligns with the automation initiative. Financial aid staff will gain the skills and confidence to embrace automation, creating a culture of continuous improvement in the daily operations of the department.

Professional Learning Outline: Implementing Automation in Banner for Financial Aid

Five Key Principles of Effective Professional Learning

Duration: Professional learning must be ongoing and significant.

Each financial aid staff member will be paired with a dedicated professional learning team member from the initial adoption of automation through the program's implementation (up to 3 years). This will ensure that ongoing support allows mentors to introduce updates, troubleshoot issues, and align automation processes with evolving needs.

Support: Assistance during the implementation stage

Professional Learning team members will conduct monthly one-on-one meetings with financial aid staff from the start of adoption through the life of the automation project. The check-ins will help answer questions, address implementation challenges and setbacks, and make sure that staff are taking full advantage of the benefits of automation.

Active Engagement: Hands-on learning experiences

This training model will move from a "sit and get" approach to an interactive "go and show" model. Staff members will actively engage with automation tools, simulate scenarios of financial aid processes, and explore reporting and troubleshooting during the initial training sessions. This hands-on approach will allow staff to get familiar with automation while communicating initial challenges in a guided environment.

Modeling: Demonstrating effective use of automation

Every training session will include live demonstrations of how automation can streamline financial aid processes. Trainers will showcase real scenarios in which automation can improve efficiency, reduce errors, and enhance student success. In modeling a growth mindset, trainers will motivate staff to embrace new technologies as tools that enhance their roles rather than replace them.

Role-Specific Training: Customization based on financial aid roles

PL experiences will be customized based on job roles such as financial aid counselors and compliance officers. Training examples include case studies and exercises that are relevant to the daily tasks of each group. Generalized training will not be conducted and role-specific learning paths will be implemented.

Collaboration

To encourage collaboration, financial aid staff will be grouped by role in larger training sessions, with a PL team member assigned to each group. In the monthly one-to-one sessions, the PL team member will start an interactive discussion to create a comfortable learning environment and will maintain communication throughout the implementation of automation.

Leadership

During the initial phase, I will serve as a leader in showing how automation enhances financial aid processes. As the PL plan is formalized, PL team members will take on leadership roles to help and guide staff members through the adoption and integration of automation.

Audience

The initial professional learning program will be designed for financial aid staff who are responsible for awarding aid, processing applications, and compliance monitoring. When the program is successfully implemented, additional training may be provided to IT and administrative teams who support automation in Banner systems.

Instructional Design

I will be using my BHAG and Fink's three-column table design to outline the key goals, activities, and assessments for the professional development curriculum. This approach will provide a structured and flexible framework for training, ensuring that learning objectives line up with the needs of financial aid staff.

Timeline

This timeline will be adjusted on implementation milestones, but an exploratory timeline for the first year includes:

June 2025 - Automation framework and training curriculum development completed

July 2025 - Professional learning curriculum finalized

August 2025 - Initial in-person training sessions with financial aid

September 2025 - June 2026 - Weekly communication and monthly one-on-one training sessions between staff and their assigned PL team members

June 2026 - August 2026 - Monthly touch-base sessions to prepare staff for the new academic year

August 2026 and Forward - Continuous professional learning sessions and engagement opportunities to support automation updates and enhancements.

Resources

Reliable internet access
Computers/laptops with Banner access
Innovation Plan
Influencer Strategy
4DX Plan
Process documentation and workflows
Financial Aid Processing Manual
Online Learning Management System (LMS) for training modules

Learning Outcomes	Assessment Evidence	Learning Activities
Understand the key features of Banner automation and its impact on financial aid processes.	Quiz on Banner automation terminology and functions.	Online module with instructional videos and knowledge checks.
Implement automation scripts in Banner to streamline financial aid workflows.	Practical hands-on project where staff configure and test automation in a sandbox environment.	Guided workshops and hands-on practice with real financial aid scenarios.
Connect automation processes with broader financial aid strategies and institutional goals.	Staff presentation on how automation supports compliance and efficiency.	Group discussions on real-world applications and peer feedback sessions.
Recognize the impact of automation on workload, job roles, and student support.	Reflective journal entries on personal experiences with automation adoption.	Case study analysis on institutions that have successfully implemented Banner automation.
Develop a proactive mindset toward automation adoption and continuous improvement.	Self-assessment on mindset and readiness for change.	Growth mindset workshop and team brainstorming sessions.
Build problem-solving skills to troubleshoot automation issues and adapt to future updates.	Performance-based assessment with real-time troubleshooting scenarios.	Role-playing exercises and mentorship opportunities with experienced staff.

Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG)

Empower financial aid staff with automated processes in Banner to improve efficiency, reduce errors, and strengthen student support, creating a flawless and data-driven financial aid experience. This shift in change will develop a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, helping staff to focus on priority tasks that directly impact student success. By leveraging automation, we will streamline workflows, increase accuracy, and ensure compliance with ever-evolving federal regulations.

References

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute.

Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2015). The adult learner: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development (8th ed.). Routledge.

Kotter, J. P. (2014). Accelerate: Building strategic agility for a faster-moving world. Harvard Business Review Press.

Okokoyo, I. (2024). Robotic Process Automation in School Administration: Exploring the Integration of RPA Solutions to Streamline Administrative Processes and Reduce Workload. NIU Journal Of Humanities, 9(2), 71-80